Rudolf Nureyev. Island of His Dreams

The film focuses on the frequent trips that the legendary Russian ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev made to Turkey between 1980 and 1990, and explores his affinity for the country, which carried echoes for him of the homeland (and mother) that he was not allowed to visit after his defection to the West in 1961, and did not see again until 1987. It includes contributions by many of those who knew Nureyev during this period - principally his long-time friend Yasemin Pirinccioglu, who worked with him to stage "The Sleeping Beauty" in Istanbul, and is the keeper of his Turkish archive. It combines these with hitherto unseen footage from private films made at the time.